Book Reflections: American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom

American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom, written by Rick Santorum is a fun, quick read.



I supported Rick Santorum for president back in 2012, because he best represented my political and social views.  I actually got to meet Rick Santorum at a campaign event in Greensville, SC, which was a really great experience.  He is a genuinely good man with a really impressive family.  He campaigned on Faith, Family, and Freedom.  His love of country is only surpassed by his love of God and his family.  He is very knowledgeable about the history of the United States of America.  He sincerely believes and supports the founding fathers and their vision for this country.  He reveres the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.  He has a great appreciation for the sacrifices made by many patriots during the American Revolution.

American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom is in some ways a brief American history lesson.  Rick Santorum does not go into a lot of detail in the lives of the people written about in this book, but he does expose you to several people you probably never heard of that supported the cause of freedom.  Many of these people were ordinary citizens that were able to accomplish extraordinary things.  Sometimes it is the little things that often get overlooked that mean the most.  This is a great lesson not just when reading about the American Revolution, but also something to remember in our daily lives.

Any person with even a little interest in American history should enjoy this book.

God Bless!

Book Reflections: See You in a Minute: A Mother's Journey Through the First Year of Grief

I have a personal interest in Misty Novak's book; See You in a Minute: A Mother's Journey Through the First Year of Grief.  My family has a close connection with the Novak family.  My mom and grandma are especially close with the author, Misty Novak.  We also know Dan well from church and sporting events.  Growing up in Anderson, IN and being a member of the same church, St. Ambrose Catholic Church, it was impossible for me to not to know Zack.  Everyone, it seemed, knew Zack.  My sister, Jenny, has always been involved in the music ministry at church, so she had several interactions with Zack.  His musical talent was unquestioned.  His joy for life was infectious.  I am sad to say that I personally didn't know Zack that well, but I knew enough to know that he was a truly special person.  I sought this book out primarily because I know the Novak family.  I wanted to know more about Zack's life, and Misty provided many great stories about Zack that are truly inspirational.

After reading this book, I have an even greater respect for Misty and Dan Novak.  As a man, I am particularly impressed with Zack's father Dan Novak.  Misty understandably was heartbroken as any mother would be at the loss of her child.  Her grief was intense and will never completely go away.  Dan undoubtedly felt similar pain, but he had to stay strong for his wife.  He selflessly put the needs of his wife and family before all else.  Dan is a model father and husband.  Misty also possesses many wonderful qualities.  She is a very faithful person, and it shows throughout this book.  While I believe this book can teach us all many lessons about the stages of grief and how to interact with people who have experienced tragic events, ultimately I believe that this book is about a celebration of life.  The life of Zachary Novak in particular.

Zack's life can teach us all several valuable lessons.  He truly was a special person.  His talents will forever be missed by many.  His legacy, however, will live on forever.  The world is a better place because of Zachary Novak.  May we all strive to live our lives with the same joy and love that Zack lived his life.  Please do yourself a favor and buy this book.  Once you have finished reading the book, please come back to this page and leave a comment with your thoughts.  If you know the Novak family and had any interactions with Zack, please leave a comment below sharing your story.  God bless the Novak family for their courage and their great example!  We will never forget the great Zachary Novak, a good and faithful servant of God.

God bless,

Mike

A Discussion about Sexuality

There has been a lot of discussion in the sports media this past week about what questions should NFL teams be able to ask potential prospects specifically in regard to their sexual orientation. Is asking a man if he likes girls at the NFL Combine discrimination based on sexual orientation? Why does a player's sexual orientation even matter? Will a prominent NFL player openly admit that he is gay? Would this be progress similar to how Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball? These are the questions sports media and personalities are asking. This discussion has prompted me discuss in much broader terms my understanding of sexuality from a Christian perspective.

I believe that many if not most of the problems in our culture are the result of our rejection of Jesus and his teaching on sexuality. Many people on both sides of issues regarding sexuality are very passionate. Unfortunately, there are people who discriminate and hate people because of their sexual orientation. Jesus never advocated hatred for any person. Also unfortunately, many Christians who believe that homosexuality is disordered and morally wrong are quickly labeled incorrectly by gay rights advocates as bigots who discriminate and are intolerant of people who have a different sexual preference. Or should I say sexual orientation?

What is sexual orientation?

Sexual orientation can be defined as a person's natural preference in sexual partners; distinguishing between heterosexual, homosexual, and bisexual. Sexual preference suggests a degree of voluntary choice, so gay rights advocates prefer the term sexual orientation or sexual identity. I point out these seemingly minor differences because the words we use to describe a person can effect our perceptions. The word natural suggests that a person's sexual preference is not a voluntary choice. The fact is that no one knows exactly the origins of a person's sexual inclinations. Most scientists believe that it is probably a combination of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences. This conclusion seems to suggest that people are not born gay, but neither is sexual orientation entirely a person's voluntary choice. This is still up for debate, but for argument's sake let's just assume that sexual orientation is not entirely a voluntary choice.
---
What does the Catholic Church believe?  Below are quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Chastity and homosexuality

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity,¹⁴¹ tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered."¹⁴² They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

Book Reflections: Planned Bullyhood

Planned Bullyhood

A church friend of mine let me borrow this book.  She started reading it but couldn't get through it because she thought it was too political.  I had heard about Karen Handel's book about the funding battle between Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen which took place just over a year ago, but had not had a chance to read it until now.  I have lots of thoughts on this book so here goes...

Overview

Karen Handel was VP of Public Policy at Susan G. Komen when the controversy peaked.  This book is her explanation of the situation as she saw things.  Now for the back story   As someone who was well aware of the Planned Parenthood/Susan G Komen longtime partnership, I was paying very close attention to the events in late 2011, early 2012 when rumors that Susan G. Komen was going to end funds to Planned Parenthood.  This was great news!  I had always wanted to support Susan G. Komen, because the fight to end breast cancer is a great endeavor.  Unfortunately, because of their connection to Planned Parenthood, I could never in good conscience support Susan G. Komen.  Susan G. Komen announced changes to their granting policy which would directly effect funds they were giving Planned Parenthood.  When news of this went public, many such as myself praised the decision, but Planned Parenthood and their allies were vicious as usual in attacking Susan G. Komen.  Oddly, although not so surprisingly, the press too saw this as an opportunity to attack Susan G. Komen.  This made no sense to me.  Why should Susan G. Komen, a charity with a mission to fight breast cancer, be forced to fund abortion giant Planned Parenthood?  Susan G. Komen should have been confident in their decision and trusted the American people would eventually be smart enough to recognize this and understand the decision.  In a very disappointing turn of events after just 3 days of public outcry from Planned Parenthood, Susan G. Komen reversed course and decided to continue funding Planned Parenthood.  Unfortunately, Susan G. Komen lost any credibility they might have had after this decision, and continue to this day supporting Planned Parenthood, which does not even provide mammograms for women.  It was just reported on Life News that breast cancer services at Planned Parenthood is down.  Everyone who knows much of anything about Planned Parenthood knows that they are in the abortion business.  Karen Handel was instrumental, although not solely responsible, in trying to implement the new granting strategy.  Her efforts are admirable.  If she was the one in charge at Susan G. Komen, I am sure that Susan G. Komen would have followed through with the new granting policy and they would have been much better off in the long run.  She resigned from Susan G. Komen soon after their disappointing decision to continue funding Planned Parenthood.

Running for Governor of Georgia

In the first chapter, Karen Handel talks about her disagreements with Georgia Right to Life and her run for Governor in 2010.  I found this chapter to be the most frustrating for a number of reasons.  First, Karen talks badly about the other candidates for Governor, rehashing arguments she made during her run for Governor.  I felt this was unnecessary and seemed a little vindictive to me.  Then she discusses her feud with Georgia Right to Life, which I wrote about on this blog when it happened.  You can read my blog post about Handel and GRTL here.  I was unaware of Karen Handel's personal issues with having trouble conceiving.  I sympathize for her and her husband, and understand the sensitivity to the issue of infertility.  I (and the Catholic Church for which Karen is a member) disagree with her position on IVF, but I respect her for being honest and saying what she believes.  I hope that after all she's been through, she might one day discover the grave problems with IVF.  It is very possible that the leadership at GRTL was insensitive in singling out Karen Handel.  I was disappointed however that Karen labeled GRTL bullies.  GRTL and those of us who are passionately pro life are not bullies of the like of Planned Parenthood.  That is not to say we are without fault.  We can do a much better job explaining issues and being more empathetic and sympathetic to those who have had difficult circumstances.  I also hope that Karen will understand why the Church is against abortion in all cases, even in cases of rape or incest.  Karen Handel, as she states in this book is certainly not a Pro-Life hero, but she has done a great service for the pro-life cause whether she wanted to or not.

Susan G. Komen

The reason I was most interested in this book was to learn more about Susan G. Komen.  Why did they fund Planned Parenthood in the first place, how did they decided to end that funding, and why in the world did they cave to Planned Parenthood after just 3 days?  All of these questions are now answered.  I have been a little critical of Karen Handel in the past for her positions on some life issues which many people struggle with, but I must say that she is a very good leader.  She joined Susan G. Komen and immediately began to make positive changes.  She has backbone and she isn't afraid to make difficult decisions.   Unfortunately, the same can't be said for most others at Susan G. Komen who are in leadership positions.  It is clear that Susan G. Komen was and is in disarray.  One of the greatest problems was that most of the people at Susan G. Komen are supportive of Planned Parenthood and their mission.  They knew that the grants they were giving to Planned Parenthood were 'crappy' and was not the best use of their donor's money.  Once they finally made the decision to end funding, they quickly changed their mind and caved to Planned Parenthood.  Until there is a change in leadership at Susan G. Komen and a complete split from Planned Parenthood, I will not support Susan G. Komen in any way and encourage others to forgo support as well.  This is unfortunate, but there are many other great charities to support.

Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood is a bully.  I have known this for a long time.  I have also known that they have lots of allies in the media.  Planned Parenthood frequently outright lies about the services they provide and get away with it.  They are heavily involved in politics, supporting liberals who will support their abortion agenda, and yet they receive taxpayer dollars.  This infuriates me and should you as well!  They not only bully pro lifers like me who are sickened by abortion and all the lies Planned Parenthood spreads.  Karen Handel better understands, as many pro lifers have known for a long time, how evil Planned Parenthood is and how powerful they have become.

Summary

I enjoyed this book.  Despite my disagreement with Karen Handel about IVF and abortion in cases of rape and incest, I have much more respect for her after reading this book.  I have a little better understanding about her as a person and how she has come to believe the things that she believes.  She has convinced me that she is a great leader, and she was a great asset to Susan G. Komen.  She looks at most things through a political lens.  I personally don't see things this way all the time, but it is very clear that Planned Parenthood has a very strong political agenda.  I would encourage all pro life people to read this book.  I think there are many things that we can learn, especially about how we need to do a better job at communicating our message.  We need more people who are willing to stick their neck out, like Karen, to do something courageous.  We need to call out Planned Parenthood when they outright lie.  We need to be more loving and understanding with those who don't agree with us on every issue.  Many people who disagree with us may simply be ignorant of the issues.  It doesn't mean that they are bad people.  We need to educate ourselves and we need to share the truth with others in an effective way.  We need to demand for charities and our government to end all funding to the evil abortion loving Planned Parenthood.  We need to control the message.  We need to stay focused.  We must stay strong and refuse to be bullied, regardless of the cost.

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: Forgotten Truths to Set Faith Afire!: Words to Challenge, Inspire and Instruct

I was able to download this book for free over Christmas break.  This is a spiritual guide book that is probably best used as a reference as opposed to reading it straight through like a normal book as I did.  He set up the book by topic and provided numerous helpful quotes from a variety of sources such as the Catechism of the Catholic Church, popes, and saints.  This book will be a nice one to have on my kindle for times when I want to read some helpful quotes from the great Catholic thinkers on a particular issue.  It is currently selling on Amazon for under $1.  Hard to beat that deal.

Forgotten Truths to Set Faith Afire!

God bless,

Mike

Pray for Newtown

Yesterday afternoon, I received news of a terrible shooting at an elementary school in previously unknown Newtown, CT.  Rarely does a news story affect me emotionally, but immediately I knew that this story was different.  I immediately felt a great sense of pain and sorrow.  I could think of nothing else the remainder of the day.  I was devastated and sickened to learn that a young man, 20 years of age, could shoot his mother in the face, travel to the school where she taught and kill 26 people including 20 children ages 5-10!  Unbelievable!  What could possibly be going through his mind?

Undoubtedly, this event will generate a lot of discussion about how we can prevent such occurrences from happening again.  We must have this discussion.  These mass shootings and tragedies are occurring more frequently and more horrifically now than I can remember ever before.  Our culture and society has some serious problems and we need to talk about some serious solutions.  I don’t have all the answers, but I know a good place to start.

We need God.  We have seen a steady push in our culture to eliminate God in the public, and in some instances we have even made it difficult to practice one’s faith privately as well.  I believe that the vast majority of the problems our county and world face are spiritual problems.  We need to foster a culture that values all human life.  ALL human life!  I cried yesterday thinking about the tragedy in Connecticut.  I don’t cry often, but I cried yesterday.  The events break my heart.  I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives yesterday.  It is especially hard to learn that so many children lost their lives.  I have a special place in my heart for babies and children.  I think about how the loss of so many lives impacts us all, but most especially the parents, family members and friends.  I in no way want to downplay the events of yesterday in Connecticut, but did you know that in the United States over 3000 innocent children are brutally killed every day in their mother’s womb?  Over 3000 children in the United States… every day!

Yesterday our nation grieved.  Appropriately so!  The loss of innocent lives is devastating.  The proper response to such tragedies is grieving, sorrow and prayer.  26 people lost their lives in the tragedy yesterday.  Horrendous news, but why does this tragedy bring us to tears when the loss of over 3000 children every day does not even enter our minds on a daily basis.  How can we explain this contradiction?

We were shocked and surprised by yesterday’s events, but should we have been?  In a culture that allows and sometimes even encourages mothers to make a choice to kill their own child resting in womb, which should be the safest place for a child, how can we be shocked that a deeply troubled young man would have no regard for the value of his life or the lives of others?  In a culture that values life based on how that individual can benefit ourselves or society instead of recognizing the inherent value of every human life, why are we so surprised when lives are taken?  In a culture that glamorizes brutal violence, why should we be surprised when we see that violence in real life?

Yesterday’s tragedy has ignited lots of emotions in all of us.  We can see with our own eyes images of children crying.  These children have names.  We can witness their personalities and the friendships they’ve built.  It is real to us.  We can easily identify these innocent children as victims.  Conversely, abortions are most often times secret.  It is a choice that mothers make.  The ‘procedure’ is usually overseen by a doctor.  The child is not fully developed.  The child is hidden in the womb.  Many times the general public may never even know that an abortion has taken place, and so many don’t mourn the loss of children’s lives through abortion.  Many see abortion as a woman’s choice.  Many see abortion as a medical decision and the baby as a condition.  I stand in prayer outside of abortion clinics not to condemn women who make the terrible choice to abort their child, but hopefully to give them one last chance to change their mind and save the life of their child.  We in the pro life movement want to offer women hope, love and support.  We want them to truly understand the decision they are making, which is terminating the life of their child.  Until we as a culture recognize and understand that we are killing our children every day in great numbers through abortion; until we grieve and mourn the loss off children in the womb like we mourn the loss of the many innocent lives taken in yesterday’s tragedy, these tragedies will continue to occur and occur more frequently.

Yesterday I stated on my Facebook page that I trust in God that some good might come of this horrific tragedy, and I am already seeing much good.  Parents are hugging their children.  People are looking at life in a slightly different way.  People are expressing to those close to them how much they love them.  People are starting to discuss how we as a culture need to change so that we can avoid these tragedies in the future.  People are turning to God in prayer.  People are bonding with their neighbors.  It is easy to focus on all of the bad in the world, but there are a great number of really good people.  God can work through the most horrendous tragedies.  God is at work today.  Listen to Him and act accordingly.

God bless,

Mike

Let Me Be Clear: Mitt Romney is the Obvious Choice This November for Faithful Christians

President Obama frequently uses the phrase; let me be clear, to emphasize a point.  Well now Mr. President, if you don’t mind, I’d like to borrow your phrase.  To all my fellow Christians and people of faith, let me be clear, this is a very important presidential election in November and the differences between the candidates are stark.  As with all things there are some grey areas and not any one politician or political party is perfect.  However, let me be clear, there is an obvious choice for faithful Christians this presidential election and the man we should all support and vote for is Mitt Romney.

Who are our choices for President?

• Barack Obama (Democrat)
• Mitt Romney (Republican)

I have heard from a couple people who have reservations about both candidates, and so they say that they will be voting for Ron Paul or some other third party candidate.  While I respect these people’s passion, the fact of the matter is that either Obama or Romney will win.  No candidate will be perfect, but these are our two options so responsible voters will look at the two options and decide which of the two will be better for our country. Thankfully we have one candidate that is pro-life, pro-marriage, and who respects our religious freedom.  As a bonus, Romney also has a great plan for improving our economy, which would be much better for the poor than government handouts.  So we have a choice: Obama or Romney?

What are the most important issues people of faith should consider when voting?

The USCCB has released a voter guide for the 2012 election.  While I understand why Catholic Bishops would not publicly endorse candidates, it is their job as our spiritual leaders to help form our consciences.  The document, called "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," lists seven major themes that should be on the minds of Catholics and all Christians when deciding on how we should vote.  The most important issues as follows:

• ·         Respect for Life
• ·         Respect for Family and Marriage
• ·         Respect for Religious Liberty
• ·         Concern for the Poor
• ·         Immigration Reform
• ·         Terrorism and War

Other issues are also important; the debt, the economy, healthcare, etc.  It is important to note the difference between issues that are intrinsic evils, things that are always wrong no matter the circumstance, and those issues which require prudential judgment.  Although I’m sure it is not the intention of the USCCB, sometimes I believe that they talk about so many issues that the faithful can become confused as to which issues are of the utmost importance.  Also, it is not always made clear that there can be disagreement about how to solve certain problems such as how to best serve the poor.  It is unquestionable that Christians are called to help the poor, but does that mean Christians must support a big and ever expanding government in the midst of a debt crisis?  Absolutely not!  However, abortion is an intrinsic evil that can never be justified.  Candidates who actively and enthusiastically support abortion should never be rewarded with our vote.  Thankfully, some individual bishops have spoken up and made this distinction.  Philadelphia Archbishop Chaput is one of those Bishops.

President Obama is not only supportive of abortion and the largest abortion provider Planned Parenthood, but as a senator he went so far as supporting the killing of a baby born alive after a failed abortion.  Sickening!  It is inconceivable to me that any person of faith could vote for a man with those values.  Connected closely to the right to life is the right of religious freedom.  As we have seen from President Obama, he has infringed upon our religious freedom with the HHS mandate.  Interestingly, he is quick to condemn anyone who criticizes Islam, but I never once hear him defend the rights of Christians.  One other major contradiction I would like to point out is Obama's message regarding Fatherhood.  If you think fatherhood is so important Mr. President, why do you no longer support marriage?  Obama is now "enlightened" and believes in and supports "gay marriage," which will confuse kids, diminish the role of fathers, and hurt families.  You would like to think that someone who professes to be Christian would act more Christian. 

I encourage you to read the document released by our American Catholic Bishops regarding faithful citizenship.  No candidate or political party perfectly aligns with the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church.  Let that not discourage us, but rather motivate us to make our voices heard.  While we have a clear choice this election, we must continue to promote Christian values regardless of who wins this election.  My hope and prayer is that Romney will be our next President.  Let’s make this happen!  God bless you and God bless America! 

Your comments are welcome and encouraged.  Who are you voting for and why?     

Book Reflections: The Didache

The Didache

This short document is invaluable for those interested in Church history and would be a great addition to a Bible study.  It was written by some of the earliest Church Fathers and may have even been written before some of the New Testament.  It offers a great insight in the the customs and life of the early Christians.  You will read about the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist among other things.  It is amazing to think that when we go to church on Sunday we are doing the same thing that the earliest Christians were doing.  Pretty awesome!  I found a great review of this book on Amazon that I recommend you read if you want a more in depth review.

An Invaluable First Century Christian Document

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America

Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America

"We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator (God) with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." - (United States of America Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776)

The purpose of this book is to educate the American public on threats to our liberty.  Mark Levin is a powerful voice for conservatives in America.  This historical and well researched book I believe accurately reflects the principles on which America was founded, and how we as a country are straying from those principles spelled out in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, by allowing more and more federal government intervention in our lives.  We are falling into a Utopian totalitarianism.  If we don't recognize this reality and start to shift back to the ideals and principles upon which made this country so great, our country will forever change and not for the better.  Do you want to live in America or Ameritopia?  As for myself, I choose America! I highly recommend this book if you love the United States of America and want to see it continue to be the leader around the world for freedom, human rights, and hope.

---

Notes:

Political Utopianism = Totalitarianism

Utopian ideas first and most powerfully expressed by Plato, St. Thomas More, Hobbs, and Marx.

I have great admiration and respect for St. Thomas More, so I was very interested in the chapter regarding his book; Utopia.  It is a fictional writing, and it is unknown if he was a proponent of all the political aspects he wrote in the book, but the society in which he wrote about denied individuals some basic and essential freedoms.  I do not believe that St. Thomas More had bad intentions, and he saw a lot of political corruption in his time which likely led to some of his biases, he became a marauder for standing up for his Catholic faith, so I take that into consideration.  I believe that he brought up some valid concerns about the current society, and he aptly identified pride as one of our greatest sins and obstacles to a faithful and moral life.  Regardless of his good intentions, the society described by St. Thomas More is not at all desirable because of it's denial of individual freedom in several instances.

John Locke and Charles Montesquieu had a great influence on the founders on how American would be governed.  Most notably, America was to be a land with limited government and free people with inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.


There will be no perfect society here on earth because we are a fallen people, but a society that respects individuals freedom gives us the best chance at a good and moral society.


---

God bless,

Mike

Collin Daniel Duquaine is Here!

Book Reflections: True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty

True Freedom: On Protecting Human Dignity and Religious Liberty

This is a quick read, but it is perhaps the most clearly spoken and masterful explanation of freedom and the protection of human dignity and religious liberty that I have ever read.  I love Cardinal Dolan.  What an amazing leader and spiritual father!  You can purchase this for just $.99 on Amazon.  Please do yourself a favor and give this a read.  I guarantee it will be an hour well worth your time.  This book is not just for Catholics, but is also for all Christians and people of good will who value freedom.  Also included is an excerpt from one of his other books which is on my short list of next books to read.  God bless you Cardinal Dolan for this timeless treasure.  I am sure that I will be reading this again and I encourage you to do the same.  I give this short book my absolute highest recommendation.

God bless,

Mike

A Father's Day Message

Today on Father's Day I pray that I become a better husband for my wife and a better father to my children. The Lord knows that I have lots of room for improvement.  I pray that I am a good Christian example for my children, and that I help lead them to holiness and not lead them astray.  I also pray in thanksgiving for my father, John.  He has been and continues to be a great example for me.  Dad - Thank you!  I love you so much!  I also want to thank my Grandfathers, especially Grandpa Duquaine, who is now suffering from cancer.  I have so many great memories from childhood through the present of Grandpa Duquaine.  He sure knows how to tell great stories.  His time on earth may not be much longer, but I know that he will live forever with God in heaven when his time does come. What a wonderful and holy Christian man is my Grandpa Duquaine.  Grandpa, I love you and my prayers are with you.  If you read this, I selfishly ask that you keep me in your prayers as well.  (We all can use prayer especially from good and holy people such as my Grandpa.)

Don't forget to wish your priests a happy Father's Day as well as they are our spiritual fathers.  Please keep all fathers in your prayers.  The role of fathers in the family is being diminished by our culture today, but fathers are absolutely necessary for raising good and well rounded children.  Children need a positive male influence in their lives and need that love of a father.  We have a great responsibility to our children, fathers, to be spiritual leaders in our families.  Let us never forget this great responsibility.  Our actions or inactions can have a great impact on not just ourselves but on our children and family.  Be a great Christian example for your children by what you say and most importantly by how you live.  Love God and teach your children to do the same.  Happy Father's Day!

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed

I just finished another of one of C.S. Lewis' masterpieces.  This short book is one which he probably would have preferred not to write, but it helped him cope with the loss of his wife, and he hopes others who are grieving will also find his experience and words consoling.  I found this book to be a very interesting look inside the mind of a person who was going through an intense time of grieving.  There is a very touching and personal introduction by C.S. Lewis' stepson which provides good background for the book.  Early on in the book, the author was going through many unsettling emotions.  His grief he found to be like fear or suspense.  The man of faith even began to question everything including God.  I believe that his thoughts were tormenting him more than any other person or thing.  Sometimes his expectations and thoughts were completely irrational; such as he didn't want people to talk about his grief but also didn't want them to ignore it.  In the end, he began to heal and his sorrow although never completely gone was at least a little less intense.  He correctly observed that sorrow is not a state but a process.  It is natural for us to go through times of grief and sorrow, but we must not let sorrow consume us.  Strong faith and hope in God is the best medicine.  This is a book I would recommend to any person who is grieving or for anyone who knows someone close to them who is grieving.  We may never fully understand what another human being is feeling, but at least we can better understand and have a little more compassion and sympathy.  For those who are grieving the loss of a loved one, especially the loss of a child, I also recommend reading A Gathering of Angels: Seeking Healing After an Infant's Death.  May the peace of God's grace and love fill the hearts of all those who are grieving.

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: A Minute in the Church

A Minute in the Church, written by Catholic evangelist and radio host of Seize the Day on The Catholic Channel, Gus Lloyd, is a great reference guide for Catholics who want to be able to defend their faith in a minutes notice, and it is also a great book for those who aren't Catholic but want a greater understanding of what Catholics believe and why they believe.  People today are constantly busy and don't often have a lot of time for deep and thoughtful reflections.  This book is a very quick read, I finished it in about an hour and I'm a slow reader.  I try to listen to Gus Lloyd's radio show every weekday and he is doing great things for the Church.  I think this book would be great for those considering entering the church and going through the RCIA or for anyone who is at all curious about the Catholic faith.  It is also a great book for the practicing Catholic, who would like to be able to evangelize or at least be able to give a quick explanation to someone about some of the common misunderstandings of the Catholic faith.  The book is only $3 on Amazon and although it is a quick read, I imagine you might want to reference this book frequently when different issues or questions about the Catholic faith arise.  Gus ends each of his explanations with biblical passages which deal with the issue, and he encourages those reading to do more research on their own.  It is great to get a quick explanation, but to get a fuller understanding of the faith more research is necessary.

In my opinion, this book along with the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church should be in every Catholic family's household.  We are all called to evangelize.  Jesus said to his apostles to go and preach to all nations.  This book will be a great help for Catholics in accomplishing this task.  I also encourage those not Catholic, especially Christians of other denominations that are open to exploring the Catholic faith, to pick up this book.  It is a short read, but it might answer some of the questions you have about the Catholic faith.  If you like what you hear, I encourage you to explore even deeper into the Catholic faith.

You can find A Minute in the Church HERE, and I encourage you to learn more about Gus Lloyd at his website HERE.

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: Indivisible: Restoring Faith, Family, and Freedom Before It's Too Late

I discovered this book while watching the two authors talk about it on Huckabee.  It caught my interest because one of the authors, Jay Richards, is a Catholic theologian and the other author, James Robison,  is a prominent Protestant evangelist.  I was pleased to see these two highly thought of Christian men put aside their theological differences and find unity in the serious political, social, and moral concerns in our country.  As the title of the book indicates, issues of faith, family, and freedom are central issues where all Christians can come together and unite.  This book takes a look at several problems in our country from a christian perspective and proposes conservative answers to these problems.  As a Christian and a politically conservative person myself, I found their arguments to be right on for the most part.  I would be curious to know how convincing their argument is to more moderate or liberal readers.  It is time for all Christians to unite in defense of faith, family, and freedom in this country and around the world.  Below are some of my notes I took while reading the book.  As with most books I read, I would certainly recommend this book especially to those of you who are interested in politics and how our faith can and should form our political beliefs.
---
Notes:

I am not sure which author is talking.  There is no clear distinction between the two authors.  I guess this is on purpose to present the case in a unified voice.

Pg. 7 - I like this quote.  - "Not to stand is to stand" said Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Pg. 23 - We have a government because of sin.  I found this to be very thought provoking and true.

Pg. 28 - We legislate morality but do not legislate every moral issue.  Our laws shape morality.

Pg. 32 - "If we all do whatever we want, we won't be free to do what we ought."  Freedom is often misunderstood, and I think the above quote is very important to keep in mind.

Chapter 5 - The authors address the problems with Pacifism and why in their opinion it does not match up with Christian ideals.  The authors also suggest that a strong national defense is one of the few primary roles of the government.  I agree in principle that national defense is one of the primary roles of government, but I think there is some room for disagreement about how best to defend our country.  I believe that we must exhaust all peaceful options before making the decision to go to war, and that war should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary to protect our freedoms.  I don't think the authors disagree with the principle, but there can be some discussion on what it means to exhaust all possible peaceful options.

Pg. 74 - Consolidating power into the hands of a central authority, even when implemented by a good man for good reasons (such as the story of Joseph in the Bible), can lead to tragic unintended consequences including slavery.

Pg. 80 - "A government big enough to give you everything you want," warned former President Ford, "is a government big enough to take from you everything you have."

Pg. 84 - "Most voters only support cutting the budget on other people." - The debt crisis in this country is scary.  We need to make dramatic changes immediately, but we will only be able to make the necessary changes if we as a people abandon our selfish ways.  We will all have to make some sacrifices in the present to avoid destruction in the near future.

Chapter 7 - 9 - The chapters on Life, Marriage and Family are probably the three best chapters in the book.  The authors make some of the best arguments for pro-life, pro-marriage, and pro-family policies that I have ever read.  They make a very persuasive case on these most important social issues and for that I applaud them!

Chapter 10 - A child's education is first and foremost the responsibility of parents and families.  Government should have a very limited role, and parents should have freedom to choose how their children are educated.  I found it very interesting to learn that government subsidies for education began with the intention of dissuading parents from sending children to Catholic schools.  The authors suggested watching the documentary, Waiting for Superman, for those interested in learning more about our problems with public education.

Chapter 15 - Although I understand some of the benefits and rationale, globalization still worries me a little.  Maybe this is a weakness on my part, but I am not fully convinced of their argument to eliminate all "protectionist" policies such as food subsidies and all tariffs.  I think the issue of globalization is complicated and maybe the authors oversimplified the issue.

Chapter 16 - On this issue of immigration, I am not completely sold on their argument especially coming on the heals of the chapter on globalization.  The authors are supportive of sending jobs outside the country where products and services can be delivered and made more efficiently.  It seems they have a different perspective when the labor wants to relocate.  I understand the reasons why we can't have an open boarder and the importance of rule of law, but it seems to me that an extremely strict immigration policy is at least in some ways like the protectionist policies in the previous chapter which the authors are so forcefully against.  I think this issue of immigration is one that needs more prayerful consideration from all Christians.

Chapter 17 - I agree with most of their points about poverty and wealth, however I think that at times the authors could be more persuasive.  People prefer to come to conclusions on their own rather than be told how they should think.

Pg. 289 - "Much large-scale environmental activism is more about left-wing politics than protecting the environment."

Conclusion - I am glad to see that the authors reinforced that the first principle of faith, family and freedom is that Every Human Being Has Equal Value and Dignity.  Amen!

Pg. 313 - "The government is charged with protecting our rights.  It's not our mommy".  - Funny and true.
---
As we approach this most important election in November, please keep in mind the importance of faith, family and freedom in this country.  We have seen the destruction our current president has already done to issues of faith, family and freedom.  Things will only get worse if he gets four more years without having to worry about getting reelected.  Conservative values may not always line up 100% with Christian values, but on the most important issues of our day Conservative values are in line with Christian values.

If you are at all interested in politics and how faith should form our political beliefs, please do yourself a favor and pick up this book.

God bless,

Mike

Book Reflections: Decision Points

For anyone who loves history and politics such as me, George W. Bush's memoir "Decision Points" is a must read.  It is very lengthy, but it is never boring and is filled with thought provoking information.  I encourage all readers to set aside any preconceived thoughts about George Bush when reading this book and read it with an open mind.  I happen to admire and respect George W. Bush for his courage to address some of our country's most difficult issues and especially for his reliably pro-life agenda.  He might have been the most pro-life and socially conservative president we have ever had in this country.  Although I very much appreciated his desire to uphold pro-life values, I did not always agree with George W. Bushes decisions or all of his policies.  Quite frankly, it is too much to ask for anyone to live up to our own personal standards 100% of the time, and who is to say that we are always right in our opinions?

George W. Bush wrote this memoir for two primary reasons: to give the public an insight as to what it is like to be the President of the United States, and to give some perspective on some of his most important decisions in life, but most especially during his time in the White House.  He succeeds on both goals.  I am amazed at the complexity of so many different issues that a President has to deal with on a daily basis.  I am convinced more now than ever before that we need to pray for all our civil leaders.  I found his discussion about foreign policy issues especially interesting.  Of course, the chapter on stem cell research was also one of interest to me considering pro-life issues are of the utmost importance as far as I'm concerned.  After reading this book, I still believe that George W. Bush made some policy mistakes and he would admit as much himself.  No person is perfect and no federal policy is perfect for that matter, but what I don't question is George W. Bush's integrity.  He made decisions based on what he truly believed to be what was in the best interest of the country.  He made some tough and at times unpopular decisions, but he did so only after careful and prayerful reflection.  I think we can learn a lot by former President George W. Bush's leadership.  Regardless of your political affiliation, I highly encourage you, especially if you like history and politics, to read this memoir.  I guarantee that it will give you more respect for the difficult duty of President of the greatest country on the face of the earth; the United States of America.  Below are a couple of notes I took from the first several chapters that I found interesting.  There is so much more good stuff packed into this book, but you'll have to read it for yourself to find out more.

My notes from first couple chapters...

• George W. Bush decided to quit drinking when he realized that he was being selfish and it was hurting his family.  (What are we doing in our lives that is selfish and damaging to the people around us?)
• When tempted he turned to prayer, which helped him fight off the urge to drink.  (Prayer is a very powerful tool for us when we are tempted to sin.  Ask God to help in times of temptation.)
• George W. Bush lost his sister when he was only seven.  It was sad for him to lose a playmate, but he knew that it was a much greater loss for his parents.  (Let us pray for all parents who have lost children and children who have lost siblings at a young age due to accidents or serious illnesses).
• George W. Bush reflected on how lucky he was that he had his parents unconditional love.  He found no reason for rebellion or fear of failure because of this unconditional love his parents had for him.  (Think about how much love parents have for their children and then multiply that by 100 and you almost approach God's love for us.  His love is always unconditional.  How do we respond to this great love God has for us?) 
• George W. Bush had to take his mom to the hospital when she had a miscarriage.  He saw the fetus.  He knew then even at that young age that this was a human life.  This dramatic event greatly shaped his views on the dignity of every human life even from our earliest stages. 
• George W. Bush's experience in Communist China convinced him that economic, political, and religious freedom is the only fair and productive way to govern a society.  His desire for people in all parts of the world to experience freedom greatly influenced his foreign policy.
• George W. Bush believes that the greatest decision he ever made was marrying Laura.
• George W. Bush often got teased for mixing up words, etc.  I found this line in his book amusing.  I know what he is trying to say, but I think he might have got it backwards... "I listened but I didn't hear."
• One last note.  It is clear that the late/great Pope John Paul II had an influence on George W. Bush. Our former President had so much respect for the pope and it was clear in his comments about their interaction in this book.  

It's a long read, but it is well worth it!

Decision Points

God bless,

Mike

2012 Walk for Life - Let There Be Life

I am participating in a Walk for Life in April to raise money for a local pregnancy center.  Please help me reach my goal of raising $200!  The picture above is of me and my daughter at last year's Walk for Life.  It was a beautiful day!

Please Sponsor me here!

Thank you and God bless!

Mike

ABORTION 2012

The video KONY 2012 is going viral on YouTube.  KONY 2012  is a great and moving video exposing a very grave injustice taking place in Uganda.  All humans should be concerned about such grave injustices no matter where it takes place or who is the victim.  Not to belittle the situation in Uganda, but I hope his next video is titled ABORTION 2012, because abortion takes more innocent lives of "invisible" children all around the world than any one man or woman ever could.

All Things Work Together for Good for Those Who Love God

It can be especially difficult to recognize the good in times of troubles and suffering.  It is a natural reaction in these times that we often focus on the bad and what is going wrong as opposed to being thankful for all of our blessings.  Sometimes we get so down on ourselves and our circumstances that we fall into despair.  God warns us against this and frequently reminds his followers to not fear.  In times of troubles and suffering I try to remember the following biblical passage: “ We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. ” (Romans 8:28).  I encountered many difficulties and troubles yesterday and I struggled to stay positive, but I was comforted by a number of blessings.

An account of my day:

So yesterday morning I got a text message from my wife that she had failed the 3 hour gestational diabetes test.  From my understanding, this is most likely just a temporary condition while she is pregnant, but it will require her to be on a restrictive diet and probably include more exercise routines.  My wife was understandably upset with this news, and when my wife is upset naturally I am upset as well.

Nothing eventful happened at work and I left at my normal time.  My drive home was no different than usual until I thought I heard a weird noise.  I turned off my radio and I no longer heard the noise, so I assumed it was nothing.  Then I started to smell an odor that I believed to be coolant.  Uh oh!  I had just taken the car to our mechanic to fix a problem with leaking coolant so surely that could not be the problem.  Then I noticed that my temperature gauge was spiking.  Then I noticed that smoke was coming out of my front hood.  Ok, now I knew I had some big trouble.  I was able to pull into a parking lot at a city park.  By the time I was parked, my car was heavily smoking.  Well this is great I thought!

I called my wife to let her know what happened.  She said she would call her dad and see if he’d be able to pick me up.  I grabbed my car handbook for some instructions.  It said not to open the hood while the steam was still coming out because the engine is very hot and could cause burns.  I waited 5 to 10 minutes then opened up the hood to see the damage.  I know very little about cars, but even I was able to see that there was a leak of fluid.  I just needed to figure out what I needed to do to get the car home.  As I was standing there pondering my next course of action, a man came up to me and asked if I needed any help.  He said he was no mechanic, but that he had worked on his cars for years and might be of some assistance.  We discovered that the radiator had no water at all, but we did not see any leaks.  He found a bottle in the garbage and filled it with water.  There happened to be a water fountain right there near the parking lot.  He filled it up 4 or 5 times and poured it in the radiator.  He asked me to start my engine and when it appeared that it was cooled down and that I’d be able to make it home, I thanked him and he was on his way to finish his run.  I know that I messed up his exercise as he was timing himself.  I offered him a $5 because that’s all the cash I had on me, but he refused.  He said for me to say hi to a veteran next time I saw one.

 

I was relieved to be back in my car driving home; at least for a minute.  Not long after I pulled back onto the busy highway, I noticed smoke coming out of my engine again.  Really?  I thought for sure that I’d be good at least until I got home!  It was a parking lot on the highway and I was stopped with the smoke really coming out heavy.  I was able to pull into a shopping center parking lot.  I called my wife again and she said her dad would pick me up.  This was not a good evening.  I was wanting to get home early and maybe even do something nice for my wife, who had a very difficult day.

My wife’s dad was able to meet me sometime around 6:30 and took me back home.  I ate a quick dinner, ran an errand for Shelly at the grocery store in our other vehicle, got back home and got the trash together to be taken out, and then put Julie to sleep.  I was exhausted, but my night was just beginning.

Our mechanic was coming over to pick me up and take me back out to the car.  He arrived as soon as Julie was down for bed.  We got some bottles of water and were on our way back out to my car which I left in the parking lot about 15 minutes away from home.  The car was still there and when the mechanic started to put water in the radiator, he noticed that there was another hose that was busted and was the cause of the leak (he had replaced one of the other hoses a week ago but the one that was busted now was not leaking when he looked at it).  Now we know what the problem was at least.  He said that he would drive my car back to his place and I would drive his car.  He would then take me back to my place before returning back home.  Sounded like a plan.  He had driven cars that had overheated before so I felt more comfortable with him driving my car.

I led the way because I told him that I knew a faster way to get to his house from where we were.  Everything was fine until I notice him flashing the bright lights.  He had to pull over into a gas station.  When I turned around and parked next to him, I noticed it was smoking bad.  Well, maybe this won’t be so easy after all.  We went inside the gas station and filled our bottles with water.  Once we filled it enough we both thought we’d be able to make it home as we were less than 10 minutes away.  I decided to follow him though just in case.

 

We pulled up to the stop light in front of an elementary school near my place and when the light turned green, he didn’t go.  Uh oh!  A car behind us couldn’t wait and went around us.  What is going on now?  I later learned that he was concerned that an engine part might get wet and that would shut down the engine completely.  He ended up being able to move… through a red light.  I didn’t know if I should follow, but I knew where he was going so I waited for the green light.

He decided he couldn’t make it home so we stopped at one more gas station.  We did the same routine and were ready to go for the final stretch.  We were only a couple minutes away now.  I started his car back up and was ready to follow him, but now my car (the one he is driving) wouldn’t start up.  Oh wonderful!  After a couple minutes he was able to get it moving and I followed him the rest of the way to his house.  I got back home around 10PM; exhausted.  What a crazy night and a terrible day!  And then I thought, you know what – things could be a lot worse.

Why I am so blessed and thankful:

First and foremost I am blessed and thankful that God is all good and merciful.  Despite my sinfulness he still loves me, and if I am truly sorry for my sins he will forgive me.  I am so blessed and thankful for my family.  My wife is wonderful, my little girl is an angel, my son who has yet to be born gives me great hope.  My extended family and Shelly’s family are really spectacular.  In this case, Shelly’s dad was generous in picking me up when I could not go anywhere with my car in its condition.  Shelly’s mom was helpful in dinner preparation and cleanup at the house.  I am thankful for our mechanic, who worked all day and then took the time to pick me up and bring my car back to his place.  He remained patient and calm throughout the night and was actually apologizing to me at one point.  I am thankful for the Good Samaritan who interrupted his run to help me a stranger.  He taught me some things about how my car works and could not have been any more helpful or nice.  I am thankful that I was able to pull off the main road and find a parking spot for my car when it was overheating.  Not only was I able to find a spot, but one where there was a water fountain and a man willing and able to help me.  I am blessed to be able to afford a car let alone two vehicles.  Many people are out of work or have to find other means of transportation to get to work if they do have a job.  I had a phone with me so I was able to communicate to the people I needed to from the convenience of my car.  We were able to get the car to my mechanic's house without having to get a tow truck, and it appears that my car is fixable.  I came home to a cooked meal and a family that loves me.  I could continue on forever about all of my blessings.  All these blessings occurred on a day when I had so many difficulties and stress.  I often take these blessings for granted.  Sometimes it takes a significant event for us to better appreciate our blessings and to thank God for all he has done and continues to do for us.  Yesterday, I had a moment of clarity.  Life is good.  Praise God!

My Prayer

I pray that we always turn to God in good times and in bad.  May we recognize the goodness in others rather than focus on their faults, and may we see the goodness in every situation as opposed to the negative.  May we never fear, and trust in God that if we believe in Him all things will work together for good.  We have a great, loving and merciful God.  Let us rejoice and be glad!

God Bless,

Mike

SBA List Endorses Rick Santorum

The nation's largest pro-life women's political  organization SBA List has endorsed Rick Santorum in the Republican presidential primary.  This is the first time the pro-life organization has issued an endorsement in a Republican presidential primary.  This endorsement adds to the long list of Pro-Family and Pro-Life organizations that have endorsed Rick Santorum.  Below are some of the other well known leaders and organizations that have endorsed or voted for Rick Santorum.

Catholic Vote

Georgia Right to Life

Tony Perkins president of Family Research Councel

James Dobson former president of Focus on the Family

Heritage House

Gary Beuer president of American Values

Abby Johnson Pro-Life Activist

Steven Ertelt founder and editor of Life News